RP:Drink in the Wild Air

Summary: Aira and Meri chat about her divorce and future hunts.

Sage Forest

Aira :: It wasn't that often that Aira traversed down the mountain and out of the snowy tundra that was Frostmaw. Perhaps it was the vixen in her, or maybe it was her mate's influence, but winter was meant for hibernation. Now that it was letting up, even in the war city, the huntress emerged from the lodge in favor of stretching her legs and catching some fresh meat. She had spent the last several months eating canned goods, preserved meat, and jerky. Something roasted in a savory sauce would be a welcome change. She wouldn't even turn her nose up to some fresh vegetables! As she passed the mines, she pulled off to the side of the path and shucked off her furs in favor of leathers and linen, stuffing her warmer clothes into a satchel that was pulled over her body and rested at her hip. There wasn't much in terms of game in these parts--for that she would have to go to the forest. Aira loved Frostmaw, it was the antithesis of the more tropical Rynvale where she grew up, the place that harbored her abuse and trauma, but she very much appreciated the lush greenery that Sage afforded her. Before long, Aira stands in a clearing and inhales deeply, her keener vulpine senses breathing in the earthy scent of decaying leaves, fresh moss, and the hint that spring was on its way. She take a moment to appreciate her surroundings before her russet ears twitch at the sound of a snapping twig and her predatory senses kick in. In one fluid motion, Aira spins on her heel, arrow pulled from the quiver on her back (and knocked into place), and her bow drawn, ready to fell whatever creature was about to cross her path.

Meri :: The snap of the twig was only because she did not care to silence her steps in her approach, a decision that Meri did not regret. She had no reason to sneak up on Aira, plus the results were quite amusing to the blonde. Those results being that Aira currently has a bow pointed at her face and was a split second away from firing. Did this elicit fear from the werewolf? No, a smirk would be worn as plain as day upon those red lips. If Aira does happen to fire, the telekinetically inclined woman is not perturbed. It would be with just a thought that the arrow would be suspended in mid-air between them, sparing Meri’s pretty face. Emphasis on the if. Even if Aira does not fire, that blonde lycan woman is still smirking at her. Why, she even raises both hands up as if to say she surrenders. “Awe-dang, you got me real good...Almost.” If she hasn’t already fired that arrow at Meri, the blonde is going to tempt fate with her next bit of shenanigans. “It has been ages since I have seen you. I have missed your pretty face.” Meri blows a few kisses at the armed Aira, or the arrow that might still just be pointed at her. Take your pick. Her smirk also widens into a fully formed grin as she goes on, “How have you been?” Yes, the psion is quite confident indeed when facing a bow and arrow.

Aira is a skilled enough hunter that she doesn't immediately let her arrow fly into whatever made that twig snap. Which is a very good thing because it is not a beasty or critter but rather Meri. The vixen stands there for a minute, surprised by the werewolf's sudden appearance, so it takes her a moment to actually lower her arrow and relax the draw on the bow. When she holds up her hands in surrender, Aira makes an exasperated huffing sound and is about the sheath her weapons when the psion goes and makes kissy faces and calls the vixen pretty! Aira scowls and scrunches up her nose in protest and for a moment her hand gives a twitch, as if she might be tempted to "accidentally" let the arrow slip. But she holds steady and eventually slides her arrow into the quiver on her back and tugs the bow over her head. "I've been okay. Hibernating," she says with a shrug, as if that explains her disappearance the last couple of months. "How are you doing? How is your pup?" She obviously was referring to Fleur.

Meri is a confusing mix of a little bit disappointed and a little bit relieved that Aira did not fire off that arrow. There was a part of Meri that wanted to rise to the challenge of trying to put a stop to an arrow shot so close to her face and yet part of her knew that this was really stupid and reckless thinking. How much did she care though? It didn’t matter, that smirk fades when Aira questions how she is and her pup are. “Ah, well. We are both alive but a lot has changed since you and I last had a chance to speak. Callum and I got married….!” Meri fakes enthusiasm for this statement because what she will have to announce next. “And then he decided to divorce me. So Fleur and I are back to living in Cenril and are both adjusting.” Meri could be quite the talker, but not when it came to deep-level-emotional stuff about her own life. The blonde sees no point in depressing the conversation any further by prattling on about her sudden and unexpected divorce. She shifts the subject away from her and back to Aira, which is pretty norm behavior for Meri. Maybe one day she’d get better at this stuff….but probably not. “Hibernating. You and Orikahn both hibernate…?” Given how prone to sass and snark Meri is, it might be hard for Aira to tell if Meri is being genuine or not with her following questions (she is, being genuine), “So does that mean you both pork out on a bunch of food and turn into chunksters prior to hibernating? Just like the bears do..?” And probably other animals, but bears were the first thing that came to mind. “So. Does that mean that you came all the way down here in search of me?” Meri smirks. “To catch a drink or two at the local watering hole?” Meri knew well enough that this is probably not why Aira came down here, this was her cheeky way of inviting the vixen out for a drink.

Aira might have let that arrow fly a couple of years ago...or maybe if it had been someone she didn't care for coming to bother her in the woods. But Meri was a friend and one shouldn't shoot friends (in most circumstances). But if the psion ever wants to test her abilities and -requests- the huntress to shoot an arrow at her face, well who is Aira to deny a friend's request? Her pale brows arch curiously when Meri mentions that she finally got married and the vixen is about to offer her congratulations when the other shoe drops and it is revealed that Callum divorced her. Aira scowls and crosses her arms over her chest. "Want me to shoot him?" The question isn't said in jest--she is completely serious. She needs to grow her skull belt if she wants to catch up to Orikahn one day. If Meri agrees to this proposal a sinister smile will creep onto her lips; however, if the offer is denied, Aira will huff in disappointment. As conversation shifts to the vixen's "hibernation", the huntress rests her hands on her hips as she fixes the psion with a narrowed glare. "Does it look like I've 'porked out'?" That is a term she is not familiar with but based on context clues she can guess what it means. "It's not -real- hibernation," she explains in exasperation. "Game is sparse when the weather gets worse in the winter, blizzards make conditions hard to navigate. So we smoke meat and make jerky so we don't have to leave the lodge if it's bad out." Aira shrugs as if this is completely normal behavior for all of Frostmaw's residents; it's not, but the prime hunter and kit live way out west. The prospect of drinks has her vulpine ears twitching and the huntress gives Meri a firm nod. "Precisely. I hiked down a very large mountain and am wandering aimlessly in middle of the woods, bow and arrow in hand, just to find you to get drinks." It sounded like a totally sane, well thought out plan. "Where are we going for said drink?" she inquires, inviting the psion to lead the way. "Are you -sure- you don't want me to shoot Callum?"

Meri :: As appealing as the thought of shooting Callum was, Meri had already decided such a route would be messier than it was worth. “Naw,” Meri says, but not until the second inquiry on this matter. “Ain’t worth the effort or the energy. We’ve got better things to be doing with our time anyway, I think.” Like locating this local watering hole. Because where in the eff could Meri possibly be talking about? As Aira pointed out, they were sort of in the middle of the woods. This was not a detail that was going to hinder Meri’s plans to enjoy a drink with the vixen. Wouldn’t you know it? Meri is armed with a flask that is full of whiskey, which she pulls out and wiggles toward Aira. After this little wiggle it is offered to her fellow Ranger, letting Aira enjoy the first drink to this impromptu drinking session. While Aira does this, Meri takes a step back and gives the woman a fairly innocent once over. “Plump? Naw. Besides, I thought half the point was that you’re plump by the first snow so you just sleep through it all...and then by the time you wake up you’re not so plump.” Meri’s lips twist into a smirk. “But what you’ve described doesn’t really, fully sound like hibernation though. I suppose I get what you mean. You two are holed up in your den for the winter, so to speak, even if you’re not sleeping through the entire thing like a bear.” Meri pauses briefly, “But naw, you look good.” The blonde woman then drops down to the earth, because this might be about as close as they get to their local watering hole. However, Meri feels a bit odd sitting square in the middle of the forest. It makes her feel a bit open and vulnerable. The woman positions herself so that she is sitting with her back to a tree. Obviously Aira was trusted fully, but both women are probably more than keenly aware of the dangers these lands possess.

Aira narrows her eyes at Meri, as if scrutinizing whether or not she was trying to silently tell her that it was indeed okay to shoot Callum. Finding none, she nods her head in acquience--it was her decision, after all. But still..."it doesn't have to be a fatal shot," the huntress explains with a shrug of her shoulders. "I could lob an ear off. Or maybe an arrow to the knee?" That would surely put a damper on things! When Meri retrieves a flask and wiggles it in her direction, Aira smirks but takes it and brings it to her lips, the strong liquor to burning her tongue and throat as she takes a hearty swig. Still, she's a pro at this drinking stuff now so she doesn't cough or sputter, and she takes the psion's silent invitation and plonks down in front of her--that way between the two of them almost all angles are kept in their sight. Aira passes the flask back to Meri and pulls out a wineskin of her own, offering it to share. "Grog," she says as means of an explanation. She wasn't a fan of it at first, but it had grown on her over the years. "This is my favorite type of bar. Not a lot of people." The huntress's copper eyes look down at her own physique and she pokes her thigh. She had always been lithe, growing up it was simply a necessity in being physically attractive to potential suitors. Now, her hunting, cleaning her kills, maintaining the lodge, all these things made her physically stronger. Aira's vulpine tail gives an idle swish. "So aside from...-domestic- troubles," the huntress says, distaste for Callum clear in her tone. "What has been new with you?" Winter in Frostmaw was terrible for keeping up with gossip and socializing with friends.

Meri :: The blonde takes the flask back into her grasp, but instead of taking a drink from it as she is so tempted to do so, she caps it and also takes hold off the wineskin. The blonde first takes a light wiff of the wineskin, it doesn’t take much for the werewolf to actually be able to figure out what Aira is offering her. Grog is definitely not her first drink of choice, but it’s not something that Meri is going to scoff at either. “Mmmm, I don’t mind people. Or bars. It can be expensive getting out to them these days though. Kid and all. I did manage to make my way out to a bar not that long ago though. Was not a bad time, always nice being able to escape the kid and talk to adults.” The wineskin is given back to Aira, leaving the two women to enjoy their preferred drinks rather than constantly trading back and forth. Meri was already missing the burn of her whiskey. “I mean I think I’ve about summed up everything that’s new with me. Just taking it all day by day really.” Meri furrows her brows. Trying to think of some more positive news to give Aira. Lanara was back, but Meri had seen the interaction between the huntress and the witch down in Gualon. Meri hmms, trying to think of the things that she has been ignoring due to her depression. “Say. I have been slacking on a couple of hunts that the Adventure’s Guild was put on. Do you feel like taking another trip out to the deserts of Gualon with me, very soon? To a hunt at least one firebird. I say at least, because we need to deliver two wings. Which means, if we do it right then we can probably get away with hunting only one firebird.”

Aira doesn’t hesitate to take back her wineskin. Once upon a time she had turned up her nose at the spicy beverage, but it was a favorite of her mate’s, and seeing as it was a staple in their lodge, she had become accustomed to it. She wasn’t sure if there was a liquor she didn’t like, but grog was now a comfort to her, it reminded her of home. She sips from the skin and listens as Meri regals her with tales of escaping the throes of motherhood to partake in some adult conversation at a bar and her lips quirk into a grin. She didn’t have children of her own and surprisingly, she wasn’t averse to them; however, she could imagine how exhausting it could be to constantly not only have a child to care for but to have them for one’s main source of conversation. The huntress corks her wineskin and stows it back into her bag for now and simply leans back on her hands, stretching her legs out in front of her. When Meri asks about going on a possible hunt to Gualon Aira nips at her bottom lip. “I…don’t think I will be able to join you, sorry.” She pauses as if considering something before straightening once more, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial volume. “The real reason I am down here in Sage is because I’ve heard whispers of a beast. One that is unlike any other.” Aira frowns. “To be honest, I’m not sure whether this is the work of fable and fiction or it is real. I heard some blokes gloating about seeing something in the Frostmaw tavern and thought I’d come and see if I could find it myself.”

Meri :: Aira’s grogskin is capped while Meri’s flask is safely tucked away, it was probably close to needing a refill anyway even if the two of them were only sipping at it. A brow is lifted in surprise when Aira turns down the offer for a hunt in Gualon but that surprise morphs into curiosity when Aira reveals the real reason that she has left Frostmaw and come down into the area. “Ah that’s fine. I am sure I can wrangle up another couple of friends to help me with this hunt.” Meri wouldn’t be passing up on Nikola’s request. “Which will give you time to look into if this beast you are looking for is a matter of fact or if it is fiction.” The blonde shifts her gaze in the general direction of Cenril. “I suppose that I should probably stop loitering around and start making my way back home. Babysitters really do not like it when I am late, I am learning. Something about how they have actual lives of their own and yada yada.” In preparation for this trek back home, Meri pushes herself up off the ground and brushes the earth off her tush. Not that she was one be overly particular about a bit of dirt but she also didn’t see the need to walk around with it sticking to her backside, not in excess at least. “If you find that this beast is actually a real thing? And you need some help dealing with it? Please let me know. I am always looking for something to keep me busy and what better way to do that than with a hunt?” Meri extends Aira a warm smile, “And let me know if you want me to wrangle up a few additional bodies if you do need some help with this beast. I am sure I know a few faces who are always down for a good hunt.” While Cenril was a bit of a walk from where she currently was, the blonde would not turn heel and begin that journey without making sure she caught any parting words from Aira.

Aira nods, giving Meri an appreciative and sparsely seen genuine smile. She didn't like to turn down any hunts, it wasn't in her nature; however, there was something about this mysterious beast that was drawing her in. The huntress chuckles when the psion speaks of babysitters and their desire to have lives outside of work. She didn't have pups of her own, but she had heard that sitters also made a pretty decent amount of coin. She didn't have a timeframe to follow, but it didn't do to sit around out in the open by herself, so she follows Meri's example and pushes herself to a stand, not bothering to brush off any dirt. "I will send you a letter and soon as I learn anything new...whether it's true or not." Lifting two fingers to her brow, the huntress extends them out towards Meri in a salute before turning on her heel and heading deeper into the forest once more.